Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Wheeling, West Virginia
A $143,000 home here costs
$1,285per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $55,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $780. The real number is $506 higher every month, 65% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Ohio County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Wheeling against Ohio County and West Virginia
| Measure | Wheeling | Ohio County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $142,500 | $165,300 |
| Median property tax | $907 | $970 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.636% | 0.587% |
| Median gross rent | $795 | $823 |
| Population | 26,670 | 41,904 |
Wheeling extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Ohio County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Wheeling sits in Ohio County, which averages a high of 82.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.3°F in its coldest, with 37.55" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 782 cooling and 5,419 heating degree days, which is what sets the $168 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Ohio County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Ohio County
Full Ohio County cost breakdown · Every county in West Virginia
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Wheeling averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Wheeling every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Wheeling I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Wheeling?
A $143,000 home in Wheeling, West Virginia costs approximately $1,285 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $780 principal and interest, $76 property tax, $75 homeowners insurance, $236 utilities and $119 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Wheeling?
Wheeling has an effective property tax rate of 0.636%, based on a median home value of $142,500 and median real estate taxes of $907. That is higher than the Ohio County average of 0.587%.
What is the average home price in Wheeling?
The median owner-occupied home value in Wheeling, West Virginia is $142,500, against $165,300 across Ohio County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Wheeling?
Median gross rent in Wheeling is $795 a month, against $1,285 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Wheeling?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Wheeling, West Virginia at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $55,000 a year. That covers the full $1,285 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Wheeling, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for West Virginia.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.